Controllers with integrated power over ethernet network switches

ABSTRACT

A system and approach that may provide power to network switches of controllers in a failsafe manner. For instance, when a controller is receiving normal power, the controller may act as a power over Ethernet (POE) source that supplies power to its connected Ethernet devices as required. However, if power to a controller is lost, then Ethernet devices may switch to a powered device mode and use power from a neighboring device to keep active. Some power may be tapped for network switch operation from any network switch port receiving power from another device. This may allow communication to remain operational across multiple devices in a string of which some have lost a source of normal power.

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/800,653, filed Jul. 15, 2015, and entitled “Controllers withIntegrated Power over Ethernet Network Switches”, now U.S. Pat. No.10,200,203, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.62/025,412, filed Jul. 16, 2014, and entitled “Controller withIntegrated Power over Ethernet Power Switch”. U.S. ProvisionalApplication No. 62/025,412, filed Jul. 16, 2014, is hereby incorporatedby reference. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/800,653, filed Jul.15, 2015, is hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure pertains to controllers and particularly tocontrollers having network switches.

SUMMARY

The disclosure reveals a system and approach that may provide power tonetwork switches of controllers in a failsafe manner. For instance, whena controller is receiving normal power, the controller may act as apower over Ethernet (POE) source that supplies power to its connectedEthernet devices as required. However, if power to a controller is lost,then Ethernet devices may switch to a powered device mode and use powerfrom a neighboring device to keep active. Some power may be tapped fornetwork switch operation from any network switch port receiving powerfrom another device. This may allow communication to remain operationalacross multiple devices in a string of which some have lost a source ofnormal power.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a diagram of example controllers having Ethernet switches;

FIG. 2a is a diagram of a daisy chain of controllers having power overnetwork cables not being used;

FIG. 2b is a diagram of a daisy chain of controllers having power overnetwork cables being used;

FIG. 2c is an exemplary diagram of a daisy chain of controllers havingpower over network cables;

FIG. 3 is a diagram of a controller arrangement in a home run mode;

FIG. 4 is a diagram of reconfiguring hardware that may incorporate a sumof an actuator, a gigabit switch and a platform to equal a present basedcontroller;

FIG. 5 is a diagram of an unmanaged network switch on a controller;

FIG. 6 is a diagram of a network that may incorporate controllersconnected together in a serial like fashion or daisy chain with cablesgoing from one network switch to another network switch;

FIG. 7 is a diagram of devices connected in a serial fashion or daisychain with power-over-Ethernet (POE) injectors on connecting cables;

FIG. 8 is a diagram of devices having multi-point POE injectioners witha POE switch that may maintain communications even if a device lossespower;

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing legacy protocols that may be, be supportedby using a standard JACE;

FIG. 10 is a diagram of controllers interconnected with cables in aserial fashion via network switches with each controller individuallyconnected to a surveillance component;

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing devices connected to each other via a cableand network switches to form a building local area network (BLAN) withone or more door control modules connected to the BLAN;

FIG. 12 is a diagram like that of FIG. 11 having a video module added tothe BLAN;

FIG. 13 is a diagram like that of FIG. 12 having a video phone added tothe BLAN;

FIG. 14 is a diagram of a device having an IP based wall moduleconnected via a cable and network switch, and having a wall moduleconnected in a wireless fashion;

FIG. 15 is a diagram of a phone connected to a device via a WiFiapparatus for controlling a room temperature thermostat;

FIG. 16 is a diagram that illustrates lighting level control for a roomwith phone connected to a device via a WiFi apparatus;

FIG. 17 is a diagram that illustrates control of a commercial appliancewith phone connected to device via a WiFi apparatus;

FIG. 18 is a diagram that illustrates commission and balance of amechanism via a tablet and a WiFi apparatus;

FIG. 19 is a diagram that shows equipment pieces that provide WiFisignals via WiFi apparatus to device for locating the pieces;

FIG. 20 is a diagram of a system that may exhibit a standalonearchitecture having a portion for supervisory functions involving a JACEconnected to an internet and connected to a portion for intelligent roomcontrol;

FIG. 21 is a diagram of a system that may exhibit a cloud architecturehaving a portion for supervisory functions involving cloud monitoringand portion for intelligent room control;

FIG. 22 is a diagram of a system that may exhibit a multi-buildingarchitecture having a portion for supervisory functions involving asupervisor and portions for buildings;

FIG. 23 is a diagram of a network that may be an integratedinfrastructure structure; and

FIG. 24 is a diagram of a network that may be a home run network.

DESCRIPTION

The present system and approach may incorporate one or more processors,computers, controllers, user interfaces, wireless and/or wireconnections, and/or the like, in an implementation described and/orshown herein.

This description may provide one or more illustrative and specificexamples or ways of implementing the present system and approach. Theremay be numerous other examples or ways of implementing the system andapproach.

Customer requirements may dictate the need for a high bandwidthconnection among HVAC controllers. Available architectures may eitherneed a home run connection between each controller and a centralEthernet switch location, or the use of an on-board Ethernet switch fordaisy-chain connections. The installation material and labor cost tohome run each device may make its implementation costly. The use ofon-board switches as implemented in devices is not necessarily faulttolerant. If one device in a string of devices loses power, thencommunication may be lost to all downstream devices. Devices whichinclude switches may have implemented the use of a spanning treeprotocol as a limited measure of fault tolerance, but it does notnecessarily address all situations and downstream controllers that maystill experience a loss of communications when other devices lose power.

The present system may implement the Ethernet Power over Ethernet “IEEE803.3a”t standard (POE) in a particular manner. When a controller isreceiving normal AC power, it may act as a “POE Source” (i.e., sourcemode), supplying DC power to its connected Ethernet devices if required.However, if its AC power supply is lost, the device may switch to a“Powered Device” mode and may utilize DC power from neighboring devicesto keep its Ethernet switch active.

While in “POE” source mode with normal AC power present, virtually allswitch ports may operate in “POE source mode”. While in “Powered Device”mode (in that normal AC power is not present), some power may be tappedfor switch operation from any switch port receiving power from anotherdevice. Virtually all remaining power may be supplied to the unpoweredswitch ports in “POE Source” mode. This may allow communications toremain operational across multiple devices in a string which have lostAC power.

A controller with integrated network switch may be noted. Higherbandwidth networks for HVAC systems may be a way to address certaincustomer needs in the future. Higher bandwidth networks accompanied bylow cost high million instructions per second (MIP) CPU's may haveenabled many new features, capabilities, and applications in the nextgeneration of HVAC controllers. IP Ethernet may be one of the topchoices for increasing bandwidth in HVAC networks. Controller providers,spurred on by IT infrastructure providers, may be delivering Ethernet IPcontrol solutions based on today's “home run” IP infrastructuretopology. This solution may have created major issues with HVAC systemimplementation. Home running virtually all controllers and HVACcomponents may be more costly and time consuming. Also, from a newconstruction logistics perspective, the IT infrastructure may be thelast piece to be installed, so it could force the construction processto be reordered or the HVAC integrators to wait until very late in theconstruction process. In some cases, this logistics issue is notnecessarily able to be resolved. Depending on the context, IP mayindicate internet protocol and IT may indicate information technology.

The present system may place the IT infrastructure directly in the HVACcontroller. With this system, “Home running” communications may be nolonger an issue and HVAC contractors may be able to daisy chaincontrollers. Construction logistics issues may also go away given thatthe HVAC contractor installs its own IP infrastructure with itscontrollers. The present system may deliver a high bandwidth networksolution that allows HVAC contractors to remain in control of theirsystems and businesses, eliminates dependencies on the IT infrastructureand personnel, and reduces total install cost.

The present system may be made by integrating a multi-port IP switch (orsome other network sharing device) directly into an HVAC controller oraccessory.

POE questions may be noted. One is why may there be a need for IP atevery device when there are already legacy bus types which provide afault-tolerant daisy chain solution. Legacy bus types such as Lonworks™or BACnet™ MSTP may run at very low speeds, such as 78 k BPS. Even thelegacy “fast” Lonworks bus may be limited to 1.2M BPS but only for areduced distance. The present IP architecture may be orders of magnitudefaster than any legacy offering. It may provide at least 100M BPS usingFast Ethernet or 1000M BPS using Gigabit Ethernet.

The expanded bandwidth may allow capabilities that are unheard of. Usersmay be able to download their application in parallel to hundredsdevices in the same amount of time that it takes to download a singledevice. Users may be able to collect history on nearly every point inthe system, virtually all of the time, at almost any rate they choose.Users may be able to easily integrate other IP devices, such as, forexample, plugging an IP video camera into the nearest present system VAVbox.

Another question is whether installing Ethernet cabling to every deviceis possibly too expensive. Ethernet solutions may require virtuallyevery device to be home run to a centrally located switch, and impose amaximum distance of about 328 feet between device and switch. This mayrequire an increase in the quantity of wire, and a huge increase oflabor to install the cable and cable trays, in addition to the cost ofthe switches themselves. To address these limitations, each presentcontroller may include an integrated Ethernet switch. The switch mayallow a daisy-chain installation, building the network as one goes. Inaddition, the ability to Star and T off the bus in multiple directionsmay be very beneficial in the total wire requirements.

Fault-tolerance concern may be a question. One does not necessarily wantto lose communications to downstream devices if the present device haslost power. This may be a valid concern when using standard “off theshelf” switches. Some other IP devices which include integrated switchesmay implement multiple connection points in conjunction with thespanning tree protocol which provides some fault tolerance in limitedcircumstances. The present devices may provide superior fault toleranceversus spanning tree protocol by using multi-point POE (Power overEthernet) injection instead.

A question may be what is POE and how could it help Ethernet devices tobe daisy-chained. POE (Power over Ethernet IEEE 802.3) may be a standardwhich allows power to be sent over the IP network to power IP devices.Special POE switches or injectors may be used to supply power onto asingle section of cable and a single device. An HVAC controlmanufacturer may market a VAV controller that is powered by POE, butthis might be a costly design since every VAV device may need to be homerun to the POE Switch.

Within an IP video approach, it may be possible to have Ethernetswitches daisy-chained using a single POE source. Each switch in thedaisy chain may be powered from the POE power of the network cable.

Another question may be how POE could be implemented in present devices.The present devices are not necessarily completely powered from POEpossibly like some others' connections. Instead, the present system mayuse the POE power to power the network switch portion of the controlleronly. With some approaches, POE might only provide enough power for asingle VAV controller and actuator, thus needing virtually every deviceto be home run. In addition, POE sourcing switches may be expensive,which might more than offset any “savings” provided by not running 24Vpower cable to the device.

The present devices may use an alternative approach to POE. Each presentswitch may be capable of being both a POE source (802.3 at PowerSourcing Equipment) and a POE consumer (802.3 at Powered Device). Whennormal AC power is available to a present device, the controller mayoperate normally, as well as run its switch as a POE source. If AC poweris lost, the present controller may shut down; however, its switch mayconvert to powered device mode, allowing it to remain operating by usingpower supplied by its neighbor. This may be an industry first approach,allowing a company of the approach to be a leader in providing anaffordable, reliable HVAC IP backbone solution.

Some aspects of the present disclosure may involve several elementsincorporating: 1) Back end IT infrastructure design using integration ofJACE with consumer technologies, like WiFi routers, with some possibleintegration with field devices; 2) Middle ware concepts; and 3) Aservices layer—building multiple use cases on top of an architecture.The present system, incorporating one or more controllers and othercomponents, may involve Niagara™, JACE™, Vykon™ and Tridium™, amongother items.

A daisy-chained power on Ethernet (POE) controller may be noted. FIG. 1is a diagram of example controllers 11 and 12. Each controller mayincorporate a four-port Ethernet switch 21 plus WiFi. Each port may havea dedicated purpose as indicated by its label. “In” may be a POE powersourcing equipment (PSE) port 31. “Out” may be a POE powered device (PD)port 32. “Aux1” may be a POE power sourcing equipment port 33, typicallyused for a POE wall module. “Aux2” may be a POE power sourcing equipmentport 34, typically used for a POE IP camera. WiFi (radio) may be for awireless connection which can support client and access point modes(like that of Titan™). 24 VAC may be provided to each of controllers 11and 12 at input 22.

FIG. 2a is a diagram of a normal operating mode of a daisy-chained POEcontroller arrangement. Normal operating mode may imply that 24 VAC atinputs 22 is present at controllers 11-15. Each controller, I/O, networkor Ethernet switch 21 and WiFi radio may be powered entirely from a 24VAC input 22. No POE power is necessarily consumed from in port 31 ofnetwork switch 21 the controllers. A controller may act as a powersourcing equipment providing 15 watt power which can be also sourcedfrom the 24 VAC at input 22. POE power may be made available on ports31, 33 and 34 (listed in order of priority). Switch 21 of controller 11may have port 31 connected to a main switch. Switch 21 of controller 12may have port 31 connected to port 32 for switch 21 of controller 11 viaa cable with unused POE. Switch 21 of controller 13 may have port 31connected to port 32 for switch 21 of controller 12 via a cable withunused POE. Switch 21 of controller 14 may have port 31 connected toport 32 for switch 21 of controller 13, via a cable with unused POE.Switch 21 of controller 15 may have port 31 connected to port 32 ofswitch 21 for controller 14 via a cable with unused POE.

FIG. 2b is a diagram of a daisy-chained POE controller arrangementhaving an input power failure mode, i.e., of one or more controllers nothaving 24 VAC present at input 22. Controllers 12, 13 and 14 do notnecessarily have 24 VAC power at their power inputs 22. Remainingcontrollers 11 and 15 may have power at inputs 22. The out port 32 mayact as a powered device (PD). A portion of power received from out port32 may be used to power Ethernet switch 21. A two watt switch load maybe assumed. The remaining power may be made available at an in port 31.No power will necessarily be available to the controller, I/O or WiFiradio. Aux 1 port 33 and Aux 2 port 34 will not necessarily be powersourcing equipment (PSE) power in an input power failure mode. In port31 at switch 21 of controller 15 may have priority. No power will beavailable on Aux ports 33 and 34 if the in port 31 is fully loaded.

A cable 35 may provide 15 watts POE from in port 31 for switch 21 ofcontroller 15, which has voltage to input 22, and to out port 32 forswitch 21 of controller 14. A cable 36 may provide 13 watts POE from inport 31 for switch 21 of controller 14, which does not necessarily havevoltage at input 22, to out port 32 for switch 21 of controller 13. Acable 37 may provide 11 watts POE from in port 31 for switch 21 ofcontroller 13, which does not necessarily have voltage at input 22, toout port 32 of for switch 21 of controller 12. Cable 38 does notnecessarily provide power from in port 31 for switch 21 of controller 12to out port 32 for switch 21 of controller 11.

Cable 38 may connect in port 31 for switch 21 of controller 12 to outport 32 of controller 11. The POE of cable 38 may be unused and thusdoes not necessarily carry any power from controller 12 to controller11. Controller 12 may have no voltage at input 22. However, controller11 may have voltage at input 22 and thus not necessarily have power onPOE cable 38 from in port 31 for switch 21 of controller 12 to out port32 for switch 21 of controller 11. A reduction of power from out port 32to in port 31 at controllers 14 and 13 may be regarded as due to theload of Ethernet switch 21. A cable 39 may connect in port 31 to a mainswitch. A main switch is not necessarily present in various arrangementsof switches and controllers.

An exemplary connection diagram is shown in FIG. 2c in which sixdaisy-chained controllers N-1 through N-6, identified by referencenumerals 11-16, are connected by five cables N-0 through N-4, identifiedby reference numerals 25-29.

FIG. 3 is a diagram of a controller arrangement in a home run mode. Themode may be used for cooling only VAV (variable air volume) boxes havingno 24 VAC peripherals. A hardware switch on a controller may select thehome run mode. When the home run mode is selected, the 24 VAC will notnecessarily be needed to power the device.

The controller arrangement in the diagram of FIG. 3, reveals controllers91, 92 and 93 that are separate from one another. Each controller mayhave an Ethernet switch 21 with an in port 31, aux ports 33 and 34, andan out port 32. A cable 94 may connect out port 32 for switch 21 ofcontroller 91 to a main switch. A cable 95 may connect out port 32 forswitch 21 of controller 92 to a main switch. A cable 96 may connect outport 32 for switch 21 of controller 93 to a main switch.

An approach may be to reconfigure hardware that may incorporate a sum ofan actuator 41, a gigabit switch 42 and a Niagara platform 43 to equal apresent based controller 44 of FIG. 4.

An idea is to capitalize on available hardware that may includeexpansion of a SOM module, Multivalent/Eagle, and Titan. The advantagesmay be fast to market by leveraging existing platforms, low costhardware development and IP based hardware communication.

An available system may mean minimal software development. The systemmay run on available Niagara software versions, use a subset of existingNiagara modules, use standard Niagara components, be poised to takeadvantage of Niagara 4 but may run with any version of Niagara, anduseful for Agile software approach for new features.

An available system integrated switch may incorporate an integratedunmanaged gigabit network switch 45, on virtually every device such ascontroller 44 of FIG. 5. With the system integrated switch, one maybuild an IP network as one goes creating one's own building local areanetwork (BLAN).

In FIG. 6, a network may incorporate, for instance, a number of devices46, such as controllers connected together in a serial like fashion ordaisy chain with cable 47 going from one network switch 45 to anothernetwork switch 45.

Available IP protocols that may be supported are BACnet™ IP, LON™ IP(Echelon™), MODbus™ IP, and Niagara Fox™. The system may also be capablewith a future IP protocol. The system may have a secure network throughFox. A Fox network may incorporate the only secure protocol in the HVACindustry.

The system may incorporate a failsafe network POE switch with amulti-point POE injection. Devices 48, such as controller, may beconnected in a serial fashion or daisy chain with power-over-Ethernetinjectors 51 on cables 49, in FIG. 7. With a multi-point POEinjectioners 51, a switch 52 may maintain communications even if adevice losses power as indicated in FIG. 8.

Legacy protocols, such as Lon and BACnet MSTP, may be supported by usinga standard JACE. A JACE 54 may support a TCP/IP protocol for aconnection to device 55, a BACnet MSTP protocol for a connection todevice 56 and a LON FT-10 protocol to device 57, as illustrated in FIG.9. Devices 55, 56 and 57 may be controllers of one sort or another, orbe other kinds of devices.

System IP video may connect directly to an available system BLAN. FIG.10 is a diagram of controllers 59 interconnected with cables 61 in aserial fashion via network switches. Each controller 59 may beindividually connected to a surveillance video component 62, camera 63and camera 64, respectively.

System access control may incorporate an IP based door control module.Door modules may connect directly to the available system BLAN. FIG. 11is a diagram showing devices 65 connected to each other via a cable 61and network switches 45 to form a BLAN. One or more door control modules67 may be connected to the BLAN via a cable 66 to network switch 45 ofdevice 65. System access control may have IP video on every door. Theremay be a full REX replacement with video recording. FIG. 12 is a diagramshowing a BLAN of devices 65 and cable 61, and a door module 67, with anadded video module 69 connected to the BLAN via a cable 68 and networkswitch 45.

There may be a system intercom, VoIP and or a video phone. Intercomfunctionality may be at every door. One may request door access fromsecurity or may call for help. FIG. 13 is a diagram of device 65, doorcontrol module 67 and video 69. Added to the diagram may be a videophone 72 connected to device 65 via a cable 71 and network switch 45.

There may be system IP based wall modules that are wired or wirelesswith full graphic capability. It may be browser based wall modulecapable. One may play back video instantly.

FIG. 14 is a diagram of device 65 having an IP based wall module 74connected via a cable 76 and network switch 45 to device 65. Wall module75 may be connected in a wireless fashion to device 65 via a WiFiapparatus 77.

There may be system individual room control. One may control one′ owncomfort by setting one's room temp directly through one's system phoneapp or one's PC. FIG. 15 is a diagram of a phone 78 connected to device65 via WiFi apparatus 77 for controlling a room temperature thermostat79 by device 65.

For system individual room control, one may easily modify one's lightinglevel directly through one's present system phone app or one's PC. FIG.16 is a diagram that illustrates lighting level control for a room withphone 78 connected to device 65 via WiFi apparatus 77 for controllingroom lighting 81 by device 65.

A system individual room control may use a system energy optimizer thatautomatically adjusts temperature and lighting levels as shown in FIG.15 and FIG. 16 based on occupancy (e.g., phone location).

A system light commercial appliance may be configured directly throughone's system app or laptop. FIG. 17 is a diagram that illustratescontrol of a commercial appliance 82 with phone 78 connected to device65 via WiFi apparatus 77 for controlling commercial appliance 82.

System controllers and appliances may automatically communicate directlyto the system mission critical cloud WiFi.

There may be system smart device commissioning. Commission and balancecan be had directly with a tablet or phone. FIG. 18 is a diagram thatillustrates commission and balance of a mechanism 83 via a tablet 84,WiFi apparatus 77 and device 65.

There may be system asset tagging and tracking that uses a system WiFinetwork to triangulate a location of expensive equipment. FIG. 19 is adiagram that shows equipment pieces 85 and 86 that provide WiFi signalsvia WiFi apparatus 77 to device 65 for locating pieces 85 and 86.

There may be system access points or hot spots that may use a systemnetwork for wireless access solution of retail or schools.

In FIG. 20, a system may exhibit a standalone architecture having aportion 90 for supervisory functions involving a JACE 89 connected to aninternet 91 and connected to a portion 92 for intelligent room control.In FIG. 21, a system may exhibit a cloud architecture having a portion93 for supervisory functions involving Niagara cloud monitoring 94 andportion 92 for intelligent room control.

FIG. 22 is a diagram of a system that may exhibit a multi-buildingarchitecture having a portion 93 for supervisory functions involving aNiagara supervisor and portions 95 and 96 for buildings. For example,there may be a building one 95 having local supervisory functions 98connected to intelligent room control 92 and/or plant control 97. Theremay be also a building two 96 having local supervisory functions 98,intelligent room control 92 and/or plant control 97. There may beadditional buildings with configurations similar to those of buildingsone and two.

A network may be an integrated infrastructure structure as shown in FIG.23. A headend 102 may be connected to a cloud 103. A controller one 111may be connected to headend 102. A controller two 112 may be connectedto controller one 111. A controller three 113 may be connected tocontroller two 112. Additional controllers may be connected in a serialfashion through a controller N 115 where N may be a positive wholenumber.

A network 110 may be a home run network as shown in FIG. 24. Headend 102may be connected to cloud 103. A network switch 116 may be connected toheadend 102. Controller one 111 may be connected to a network switch116. Controller two 112 may also be connected to network switch 116.Additional controllers 113 through 115 may be connected to networkswitch 116.

To recap, a system for power over network switching may incorporate twoor more controllers. Each controller of the two or more controllers mayincorporate a multi-port Ethernet switch. A first port of the Ethernetswitch may be for power sourcing equipment and a second port of theEthernet may be for a powered device. The two or more controllers may beconnected in a daisy chain fashion with a power over Ethernet (POE)cable connected from a first port of an Ethernet switch of onecontroller to a second port of another controller, respectively.

The two or more controllers may have a normal operating mode or an inputpower failure mode.

In the normal operating mode, each controller of the two or morecontrollers may be powered at a voltage input of the controller apartfrom a POE cable. In the input power failure mode, there may be anabsence of power to the voltage input of at least one controller, andthe at least one controller may be powered by a POE cable having one endconnected to the second port of an Ethernet switch of the at least onecontroller and having another end connected to a first port of aEthernet switch having power of another controller.

The POE cable may convey data signals. An Ethernet switch mayincorporate a third port that is a power sourcing equipment port.

A controller of the two or more controllers may be connected to an HVACsystem. The third port may provide power to a peripheral device of anHVAC system.

A network power switching arrangement may incorporate a plurality ofcontrollers. Each controller may incorporate a net switch having a powersourcing equipment port and a powered device port. A cable may connect apower sourcing equipment port of a net switch of one controller to apowered device port of a net switch of another controller. If the netswitch of the other controller loses power, current may be provided bythe power sourcing equipment port of the net switch of the onecontroller via the cable to the powered device port of the net switch ofthe other controller.

The cable may be a power over Ethernet cable. The net switch may be anEthernet switch.

The one controller may be a first controller. The other controller maybe a second controller. The cable may be a first cable. A second cablemay connect a power sourcing equipment port of a net switch of a secondcontroller to a powered device port of a net switch of a thirdcontroller.

The plurality of controllers may incorporate N controllers and at leastN-1 cables. An N-3 cable may connect a power sourcing equipment port ofa net switch the fourth (N-4) controller to a powered device port of anet switch of an N-5 controller. An N-4 cable may connect a powersourcing equipment port of a net switch of the N-5 controller to apowered device port of a net switch of an N-6 controller. N may be apositive whole number.

The connecting of a cable from a power sourcing equipment port of a netswitch of an N-X+1 controller to a powered device port of a net switchof a N-X controller in a daisy chain fashion may continue until X=N. Xmay be a positive whole number.

An approach of implementing a failsafe network switch of a controller,may incorporate connecting, with a cable, a first port for a networkswitch of one controller to a second port for a network switch ofanother controller. A first port for a network switch of a controllermay be a power sourcing equipment port. A second port for a networkswitch of a controller may be a powered device port. A controller mayincorporate a power input terminal. If power is present at the powerinput terminal of the network switch of one controller and power isabsent at the power input terminal of another controller, then power maybe provided via the cable from the power sourcing equipment port for anetwork switch of the one controller to a powered device port for anetwork switch of the other controller. An additional one or morenetwork switches of one or more controllers may be daisy chained inconnection of power sourcing equipment ports and powered device portswith a cable between every two of network switches so as to providepower from a network switch to one or more network switches withoutpower.

The cable may be a power over Ethernet cable that can convey power andcommunication signals between network switches. Each network switch maybe a power over Ethernet switch.

The controllers may be heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC)controllers.

The approach may further incorporate creating a building local areanetwork (BLAN) from the controllers.

Power may become present at one or more auxiliary ports for the networkswitch of the controller having the absence of power at the power inputterminal, upon a conveyance of power to the second terminal for thenetwork switch of the controller having the absence of power at thepower input terminal.

The one or more auxiliary ports may provide power for one or more itemsselected from a group incorporating IP video, IP door control modules,IP intercoms, and IP wall modules.

Each network switch may be integrated with a controller.

Controllers may be added piece-meal in the future without impairing apresent usage of the existing controllers.

The controllers may be building management system (BMS) controllers.

Any publication or patent document noted herein is hereby incorporatedby reference to the same extent as if each individual publication orpatent document was specifically and individually indicated to beincorporated by reference.

In the present specification, some of the matter may be of ahypothetical or prophetic nature although stated in another manner ortense.

Although the present system and/or approach has been described withrespect to at least one illustrative example, many variations andmodifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art uponreading the specification. It is therefore the intention that theappended claims be interpreted as broadly as possible in view of therelated art to include all such variations and modifications.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system for power over network switchingcomprising: two or more heating, ventilation, and air conditioning(HVAC) controllers; and wherein: each HVAC controller of the two or moreHVAC controllers comprises a multi-port Ethernet switch; a first port ofthe Ethernet switch is for power sourcing equipment and a second port ofthe Ethernet switch is for a powered device; and the two or more HVACcontrollers are connected in a daisy chain fashion with a power overEthernet (POE) cable connected from a first port of an Ethernet switchof one HVAC controller to a second port of another HVAC controller,respectively, creating a building local area network (BLAN) from HVACcontrollers, wherein the BLAN is secured by incorporating a Foxprotocol, wherein the two or more HVAC controllers are configured andadapted to maintain communication among remaining HVAC controllers ofthe two or more controllers when one controller of the two or more HVACcontrollers loses power, and wherein at least one of the two or moreHVAC controller is connected to an internet via a Java ApplicationControl Engine (JACE™).
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the two ormore HVAC controllers have a normal operating mode or an input powerfailure mode.
 3. The system of claim 2, wherein: in the normal operatingmode, each HVAC controller of the two or more HVAC controllers ispowered at a voltage input of the HVAC controller apart from a POEcable; and in the input power failure mode, there is an absence of powerto the voltage input of at least one HVAC controller, and the at leastone HVAC controller can be powered by a POE cable having one endconnected to the second port of an Ethernet switch of the at least oneHVAC controller and having another end connected to a first port of aEthernet switch having power of another controller.
 4. The system ofclaim 3, wherein the POE cable can convey data signals.
 5. The system ofclaim 4, wherein an Ethernet switch comprises a third port that is apower sourcing equipment port.
 6. The system of claim 5, wherein: anHVAC controller of the two or more HVAC controllers is connected to anHVAC system; and the third port can provide power to a peripheral deviceof an HVAC system.
 7. A network power switching arrangement comprising:a plurality of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC)controllers; and wherein: each HVAC controller comprises a net switchhaving a power sourcing equipment port and a powered device port; acable connects a power sourcing equipment port of a net switch of oneHVAC controller to a powered device port of a net switch of another HVACcontroller, wherein the network is a building local area network (BLAN),wherein the BLAN is secured by incorporating a Fox protocol; and if thenet switch of the other HVAC controller loses power, current can beprovided by the power sourcing equipment port of the net switch of oneHVAC controller via the cable to the powered device port of the netswitch of another HVAC controller, wherein at least one of the two ormore HVAC controller is connected to an internet via a Java ApplicationControl Engine (JACE™).
 8. The network power switching arrangement ofclaim 7, wherein: the cable is a power over Ethernet cable; and the netswitch is an Ethernet switch.
 9. The network power switching arrangementof claim 8, wherein: the one HVAC controller is a first controller; theother HVAC controller is a second controller; the cable is a firstcable; and a second cable connects a power sourcing equipment port of anet switch of a second controller to a powered device port of a netswitch of a third controller.
 10. The network power switchingarrangement of claim 9, wherein: the plurality of HVAC controllerscomprises N controllers and at least N-1 cables; an N-3 cable connects apower sourcing equipment port of a net switch a fourth (N-4) controllerto a powered device port of a net switch of an N-5 controller; an N-4cable connects a power sourcing equipment port of a net switch of theN-5 controller to a powered device port of a net switch of an N-6controller; and N is a positive whole number.
 11. The network powerswitching arrangement of claim 10, wherein the connecting of a cablefrom a power sourcing equipment port of a net switch of an N-X+1controller to a powered device port of a net switch of an N-X controllerin a daisy chain fashion continues until X=N; and X is a positive wholenumber.
 12. A method of implementing a failsafe network switch of aheating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) controller,comprising: connecting, with a cable, a first port for a network switchof one HVAC controller to a second port for a network switch of anotherHVAC controller creating a building local area network (BLAN) from HVACcontrollers, wherein the BLAN is secured by incorporating a Foxprotocol; and wherein: a first port for a network switch of an HVACcontroller is a power sourcing equipment port; a second port for anetwork switch of an HVAC controller is a powered device port; an HVACcontroller comprises a power input terminal; if power is present at thepower input terminal of the network switch of one HVAC controller andpower is absent at the power input terminal of another HVAC controller,then power can be provided via the cable from the power sourcingequipment port for a network switch of the one HVAC controller to apowered device port for a network switch of the another HVAC controllerhaving an absence of power at the power input terminal; and anadditional one or more network switches of one or more HVAC controllerscan be daisy chained in connection of power sourcing equipment ports andpowered device ports with a cable between every two of network switchesso as to provide power from a network switch to one or more networkswitches without power, wherein at least one of the two or more HVACcontroller is connected to an internet via a Java Application ControlEngine (JACE™).
 13. The method of claim 12, wherein: the cable is apower over Ethernet cable that can convey power and communicationsignals between network switches; and each network switch is a powerover Ethernet switch.
 14. The method of claim 13, wherein power becomespresent at one or more auxiliary ports for the network switch of theHVAC controller having the absence of power at the power input terminal,upon a conveyance of power to a second terminal for the network switchof the HVAC controller having the absence of power at the power inputterminal.
 15. The method of 14, wherein the one or more auxiliary portscan provide power for one or more items selected from a group comprisingIP video, IP door control modules, IP intercoms, and IP wall modules.16. The method of claim 13, wherein each network switch is integratedwith an HVAC controller.
 17. The method of claim 13, wherein one or moreHVAC controllers can be added piece-meal at a future time withoutimpairing a present usage of existing HVAC controllers.
 18. The methodof claim 13, wherein the one or more HVAC controllers are buildingmanagement system (BMS) controllers.